Nanozymes are a distinct category of nanomaterials that exhibit catalytic properties resembling those of enzymes such as peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Nanozymes derived from Chinese herbal medicines exhibit the catalytic functions of their enzyme mimics, while retaining the specific medicinal properties of the herb (termed "herbzymes"). These nanozymes can be categorized into three main groups based on their method of synthesis: herb carbon dot nanozymes, polyphenol-metal nanozymes, and herb extract nanozymes. The reported catalytic activities of herbzymes include POD, SOD, CAT, and GPx. This review presents an overview of the catalytic activities and potential applications of nanozymes, introduces the novel concept of herbzymes, provides a comprehensive review of their classification and synthesis, and discusses recent advances in their biomedical applications. Furthermore, we also discuss the significance of research into herbzymes, including the primary challenges faced and future development directions.
Nanostructures/chemistry* ; Humans ; Herbal Medicine/methods* ; Superoxide Dismutase/chemistry* ; Catalase/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Catalysis ; Glutathione Peroxidase/chemistry*

Pan-vascular diseases encompass a range of systemic conditions characterized by sharing a common pathologic basis of vascular deterioration. Due to the complexity of these diseases, a thorough understanding on their similarities and differences is essential for optimizing diagnosis and treatment strategies. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as one of the commonly used medical imaging techniques, has been widely applied in the diagnosis of pan-vascular diseases. Particularly, the integration of MRI with contrast agents and multi-parameter imaging techniques significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy, reducing the likelihood of missed or incorrect diagnoses. Recently, a variety of nano-magnetic resonance contrast agents have been developed and applied to the magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of diseases. These nanotechnology-based contrast agents provide multiple advantages, ensuring more precise and forward-looking imaging of pan-vascular conditions. In this review, the diverse application strategies of nanomaterials-enhanced MRI techniques in the diagnosis of pan-vascular diseases were systematically summarized, by classifying them into the commonly used MRI sequences in clinical practice. Additionally, the potential advantages and challenges associated with the clinical translation of nanomaterial-enhanced MRI were also discussed. This review not only offers a novel perspective on the precise diagnosis of pan-vascular diseases, but also serves as a valuable reference for future clinical practice and research in the field.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Contrast Media ; Vascular Diseases/diagnostic imaging* ; Nanostructures

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antioxidant and osteogenic induction capabilities of calcium phosphate nanoflowers (hereinafter referred to as nanoflowers) in vitro at different concentrations. METHODS: Nanoflowers were prepared using gelatin, tripolyphosphate, and calcium chloride. Their morphology, microstructure, elemental composition and distribution, diameter, and molecular constitution were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Femurs and tibias were harvested from twelve 4-week-old Sprague Dawley rats, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were isolated and cultured using the whole bone marrow adherent method, followed by passaging. The third passage cells were identified as stem cells by flow cytometry and then co-cultured with nanoflowers at concentrations of 0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6, 2.0, 2.4, 2.8, 3.2, and 3.6 mg/mL. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to screen for the optimal concentration that demonstrated the best cell viability, which was subsequently used as the experimental concentration for further studies. After co-culturing BMSCs with the screened concentration of nanoflowers, the biocompatibility of the nanoflowers was verified through live/dead cell staining, scratch assay, and cytoskeleton staining. The antioxidant capacity was assessed by using reactive oxygen species (ROS) fluorescence staining. The in vitro osteoinductive ability was evaluated via alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, alizarin red staining, and immunofluorescence staining of osteocalcin (OCN) and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). All the above indicators were compared with the control group of normally cultured BMSCs without the addition of nanoflowers. RESULTS: Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the prepared nanoflowers exhibited a flower-like structure; transmission electron microscopy scans discovered that the nanoflowers possessed a multi-layered structure, and high-magnification images displayed continuous atomic arrangements, with the nanoflower diameter measuring (2.00±0.25) μm; energy-dispersive spectroscopy indicated that the nanoflowers contained elements such as C, N, O, P, and Ca, which were uniformly distributed across the flower region; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyzed the absorption peaks of each component, demonstrating the successful preparation of the nanoflowers. Through CCK-8 screening, the concentrations of 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6 mg/mL were selected for subsequent experiments. The live/dead cell staining showed that nanoflowers at different concentrations exhibited good cell compatibility, with the 1.2 mg/mL concentration being the best (P<0.05). The scratch assay results indicated that the cell migration ability in the 1.2 mg/mL group was superior to the other groups (P<0.05). The cytoskeleton staining revealed that the cell morphology was well-extended in all concentration groups, with no significant difference compared to the control group. The ROS fluorescence staining demonstrated that the ROS fluorescence in all concentration groups decreased compared to the control group after lipopolysaccharide induction (P<0.05), with the 1.2 mg/mL group showing the weakest fluorescence. The ALP staining showed blue-purple nodular deposits around the cells in all groups, with the 1.2 mg/mL group being significantly more prominent. The alizarin red staining displayed orange-red mineralized nodules around the cells in all groups, with the 1.2 mg/mL group having more and denser nodules. The immunofluorescence staining revealed that the expressions of RUNX2 and OCN proteins in all concentration groups increased compared to the control group, with the 1.2 mg/mL group showing the strongest protein expression (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The study successfully prepares nanoflowers, among which the 1.2 mg/mL nanoflowers exhibits excellent cell compatibility, antioxidant properties, and osteogenic induction capability, demonstrating their potential as an artificial bone substitute material.
Animals ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/drug effects* ; Calcium Phosphates/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Antioxidants/chemistry* ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Nanostructures/chemistry* ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Bone Marrow Cells/cytology* ; Coculture Techniques ; Tissue Scaffolds/chemistry* ; Male ; Biocompatible Materials/chemistry* ; Cell Survival ; Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation

The rapid development of nanomaterials has brought groundbreaking opportunities for high-quality innovation in medical devices, but it has also become a new challenge for regulatory authorities. How to scientifically and rationally evaluate the risks of medical device products with nanomaterials and establish appropriate regulatory classifications have become critical research priorities. To solve this problem, this study focuses on medical devices with nanomaterials, conducts a comparative analysis of domestic and international regulatory classification policies, reviews the current registration status of related products, and provides recommendations on key considerations for the classification and regulation of medical devices with nanomaterials, which aims at promoting high-quality advancement in China's medical device regulation.
Nanostructures/classification* ; Equipment and Supplies/classification*

The dysfunction of the lysosome and autophagy-lysosome system serves as a driving force for neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, inflammatory conditions, and other related diseases, closely influencing their onset and progression. Therefore, restoring the function of the lysosome or autophagy-lysosome system has become an increasingly crucial therapeutic strategy in disease management. In this review, we will introduce the lysosomal biogenesis, structure, and function, as well as the biological process of the autophagy-lysosome system. Various diseases closely associated with lysosomal/autophagic dysfunction are also reviewed, emphasizing the significance of targeting the function of the lysosome or autophagy-lysosome system in disease treatment. Finally, we focus on engineered nanomaterials that have the capabilities to restore the function of the lysosome or autophagy-lysosome system, and summarize different strategies and methods for achieving this goal. This review aims to elucidate the latest progress in the field of nanomedicine for lysosomal/autophagic defect-related diseases and inspire the development of innovative and clinically valuable nanomedicines.
Humans ; Lysosomes/physiology* ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Nanomedicine/methods* ; Neurodegenerative Diseases/therapy* ; Animals ; Nanostructures ; Lysosomal Storage Diseases/therapy*

Glucose transporters (GLUTs) are pivotal membrane proteins that facilitate the passive transport of glucose into cells. However, their aberrant overexpression is closely linked to the Warburg effect and chemotherapy resistance of tumors. GLUTs are complex multi-pass transmembrane proteins that require detergents for extraction from the cell membrane during preparation. The persistent presence of detergents in the sample can disrupt lipid-protein interactions, potentially leading to conformational distortion and functional losses of GLUTs, severely hindering the research into their structures and transport mechanisms. To eliminate detergent interference and preserve its authentic conformation, this study employs nanodisc technology and utilizes the self-assembly of the membrane scaffold protein MSP1E3D1 and phospholipids to produce a biomimetic membrane environment, thereby overcoming the limitations of conventional methods. The C-terminal His10-tagged GLUT1 was heterologously expressed in the insect cell Sf9/Bac-to-Bac system, and the GLUT1-nanodisc complex was obtained after detergent solubilization, affinity chromatography purification via anti-His antibody resin, and self-assembly. The successfully reconstituted nanodisc complex was further purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Nanodisc reconstitution produced monodisperse GLUT1 particles that retained native secondary structure, as confirmed by far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Unlike conventional detergent micelles, which lack a true lipid bilayer, distort transmembrane-helix topology, and occlude ligand-binding sites, the nanodisc platform embeds GLUT1 in a phospholipid bilayer that preserves its authentic conformation while eliminating detergent interference. The resulting GLUT1-nanodisc complex is therefore a superior scaffold for high-resolution cryo-EM structural analysis, permitting detailed interrogation of the transporter's conformational cycle, its interactions with partner proteins, and downstream structure-guided, high-throughput drug screening.
Nanostructures/chemistry* ; Glucose Transporter Type 1/biosynthesis* ; Humans ; Animals ; Phospholipids/chemistry* ; Detergents/chemistry*

The production of healthy agricultural products has increased the demand for innovative and sustainable plant protection technologies, and the rapid advancement of nanotechnology has brought revolutionary breakthroughs to traditional agriculture. Nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems can not only significantly improve the utilization efficiency of pesticides, achieving enhanced efficacy and reduced application, but also decrease the pesticide residues and environmental pollution. Additionally, they have made breakthrough progress in the stability and persistence of RNA pesticides. This review summarized the research progress on nanopesticides and RNA pesticides, focusing on the mechanisms of nanocarriers in improving pesticide bioactivity and RNA interference (RNAi) efficiency. It also systematically summarized the types of nanomaterials and their applications in pest and disease management and provided an in-depth outlook for the future development of nanopesticides and RNA pesticides, which provided technical support for the high-quality development of agriculture in the future.
Pesticides/chemistry* ; Nanotechnology ; Nanostructures ; RNA ; Agriculture/methods* ; RNA Interference ; Drug Delivery Systems

Self-assembly refers to the spontaneous process where basic units such as molecules and nanostructured materials form a stable and compact structure. Peptides can self-assemble by non-covalent driving forces to form various morphologies such as nanofibers, nano layered structures, and micelles. Peptide self-assembly technology has become a hot research topic in recent years due to the advantages of definite amino acid sequences, easy synthesis and design of peptides. It has been shown that the self-assembly design of certain peptide drugs or the use of self-assembled peptide materials as carriers for drug delivery can solve the problems such as short half-life, poor water solubility and poor penetration due to physiological barrier. This review summarizes the formation mechanism of self-assembled peptides, self-assembly morphology, influencing factors, self-assembly design methods and major applications in biomedical field, providing a reference for the efficient use of peptides.
Pharmaceutical Preparations ; Peptides/chemistry* ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Nanostructures/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems

Small-molecule anticancer drugs inhibited tumor growth based on targeted inhibition of specific proteins, while most of oncogenic proteins are "undruggable". Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) is an attractive and general strategy for treating cancer based on targeted degradation of oncogenic proteins. This review briefly describes the peptide-based PTOTAC and small molecule-based PROTAC. Subsequently, we summarize the development of targeted delivery of PROTAC, such as targeting molecule-mediated targeted delivery of PROTAC, nanomaterial-mediated targeted delivery of PROTAC and controllable activation of small-molecular PROTAC prodrug. Such strategies show potential application in improving tumor selectivity, overcoming off-target effect and reducing biotoxicity. At the end, the druggability of PROTAC is prospected.
Humans ; Proteolysis Targeting Chimera ; Nanostructures ; Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Proteolysis

Gas vesicles (GVs) are gas-filled protein nanostructures that can regulate the buoyancy of microorganisms such as cyanobacteria and archaea. Recent studies have shown that GVs have the potential to be used as ultrasound molecular imaging probes in disease diagnosis and treatment. However, the mechanism of the inflation and deflation of GVs remains unclear, which hampers the preservation of GVs and gas replacement. In the present study, the environmental pH value was found to be an important factor in regulating the inflation and deflation of GVs. It can not only regulate the inflation and deflation of GVs in vivo to make Microcystis sp. cells present distinct levitation state, but also regulate the inflation and deflation of purified GVs in vitro, and the regulation process is reversible. Our results may provide a technical support for the large-scale production and preservation of biosynthetic ultrasound molecular imaging probes, especially for gas replacement to meet different diagnostic and therapeutic needs, and would facilitate the application of biosynthetic ultrasound molecular imaging probes.
Cyanobacteria ; Proteins/chemistry* ; Nanostructures/chemistry* ; Molecular Imaging ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration